Systems and methods for charged particle beam modulation

Abstract

Systems and methods for conducting charged particle beam modulation are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a charged particle beam apparatus generates a plurality of charged particle beams. A modulator may be configured to receive the plurality of charged particle beams and generate a plurality of modulated charged particle beams. A detector may be configured to receive the plurality of modulated charged particle beams.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A charged particle beam system comprising:
 a charged particle source configured to generate a plurality of charged particle beams; 
 a modulator configured to receive the plurality of charged particle beams and generate a plurality of modulated charged particle beams, wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are generated by switching between an on state and an off state; and 
 a detector configured to receive the plurality of modulated charged particle beams. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the charged particle source is configured to generate a first number of the plurality of charged particle beams, and 
 the detector comprises a second number of sensing elements, the second number being less than the first number. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second number is one. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a code generator configured to generate a plurality of codes corresponding to the plurality of charged particle beams, 
 wherein the modulator is configured to modulate the plurality of charged particle beams based on the plurality of codes. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the modulator is configured to modulate a group of the plurality of charged particle beams, the group comprising a third number of the plurality of charged particle beams, the third number being less than the first number, 
 the modulator is configured to emit grouped modulated charged particle beams of the group of the plurality of charged particle beams onto a sensing element of the sensing elements, wherein the grouped modulated charged particle beams of the group do not temporally overlap one another on the sensing element. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 at least one of: a controller and one or more circuits integrated with the detector, 
 wherein the at least one of the controller and the one or more circuits is configured to demodulate the plurality of modulated charged particle beams. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the modulator comprises one or more deflectors configured to deflect one or more of the plurality of charged particle beams to generate the plurality of modulated charged particle beams. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are generated by a deflector switching between the on state and the off state. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are generated by a switch or a shutter switching between the on state and the off state. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 generating a plurality of modulated charged particle beams based on a plurality of charged particle beams generated by a charged particle source, wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are generated by switching between an on state and an off state; and 
 detecting the plurality of modulated charged particle beams. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising
 generating a first number of the plurality of charged particle beams, and 
 detecting the plurality of modulated charged particle beams by a second number of sensing elements of a detector, the second number being less than the first number. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising
 generating a plurality of codes corresponding to the plurality of charged particle beams; and 
 modulating the plurality of charged particle beams based on the plurality of codes. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 grouping the plurality of charged particle beams in one or more groups, a group of the one or more groups comprising a third number of the plurality of charged particle beams, the third number being less than the first number, 
 emitting grouped modulated charged particle beams of the group of the plurality of charged particle beams onto a sensing element of the sensing elements so that the grouped modulated charged particles beams of the group do not temporally overlap one another on the sensing element. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising
 demodulating the plurality of modulated charged particle beams. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising
 acquiring an image of a sample based on a demodulated signal of the plurality of modulated charged particle beams, 
 wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are received from the sample. 
 
     
     
       16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that are executable by one or more processors of an apparatus to cause the apparatus to perform a method comprising:
 driving a modulator to generate a plurality of modulated charged particle beams using a plurality of modulation codes, wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are generated by switching between an on state and an off state to affect a plurality of charged particle beams generated from a charged particle source. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the set of instructions further cause the apparatus to perform:
 generating a first number of the plurality of charged particle beams, and 
 detecting the plurality of modulated charged particle beams by a second number of sensing elements of a detector, the second number being less than the first number. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the set of instructions further cause the apparatus to perform:
 grouping the plurality of charged particle beams in one or more groups, a group of the one or more groups comprising a third number of the plurality of charged particle beams, the third number being less than the first number, 
 emitting grouped modulated charged particle beams of the group of the plurality of charged particle beams onto a sensing element of the sensing elements so that the grouped modulated charged particles beams of the group do not temporally overlap one another on the sensing element. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the set of instructions further cause the apparatus to perform:
 generating the plurality of modulation codes corresponding to the plurality of charged particle beams; and 
 modulating the plurality of charged particle beams based on the plurality of modulation codes. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of modulation codes are configured so that a modulated charged particle beam of the plurality of modulated charged particle beams does not temporally overlap with another modulated charged particle beam of the plurality of modulated charged particle beams on the detector. 
     
     
       21. The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of modulated charged particle beams are demodulated based on the plurality of modulation codes.